Snowy owls on the wing (gallery)

Snowy owls, which normally dwell in the Arctic, periodically migrate south. They were spotted in Western Washington last winter, and they’re back this year. Mike Benbow, who took the photo above, reports that the owls have been seen in the Stillaguamish River estuary since November, and they’ll likely hang around until February or March. Check out Benbow’s photos here and learn more about the owls in his story on Sunday.